My Angel (AkiAngel Chainsaw Man)

Chapter 4: Family

WC: .7k

"Aki!"

Aki broke from his thoughts and turned to face Denji, his mind still slightly clouded by his previous thoughts. He tried to brush everything off, but that damn devil had infected his brain and plagued him with thoughts of it.

Denji was seated on the floor, playing with his fingers in boredom, "Are you gonna make food?"

"Yeah, yeah," Aki groaned and walked to the stove, lighting the kerosine stove before turning to grab food from the fridge.

"Makima told me that you got a new partner," Denji commented in his foolish attempt to make small talk.

Aki cursed Makima in his head, "Mhm."

"So... what's he like?"

Aki gave Denji a look, "Annoying, " He added, "Just like every other devil. I threatened to kill him today."

Denji nodded silently and returned to playing with his fingers. He seemed to sense Aki was in no mood to talk about his failing partnership. Soon enough, Power emerged from her bedroom, carrying Meowy on her shoulders before plopping beside Denji and engaging in a meaningless talk that Aki always considered "insane talk."

Aki set the plates on the table and sat beside Power, attempting to ignore the conversation that was occurring beside him. He didn't know what they were talking about, and to be frank, he did not care one bit. So long as Denji and Power weren't planning to do something stupid, he was alright with them engaging in "insane talk."

"What's this I hear about Aki having a new partner?" Power tipped her head in confusion.

"Didn't Ms. Makima tell you?" Denji questioned, "He got assigned to that really hot Angel Devil chick."

Aki sighed deeply, "He's a  dude, Denji."

"Why didn't Makima tell me, the first President, this information?"

"Because she probably knew you'd harass me."

"I am not harassing you!"

"Is he that bad, Aki?" Denji leaned forward on the table, genuinely interested.

"Of course he is."

"Bad enough to threaten him?"

Aki rolled his eyes, "He's not a human, Denji. You have to treat devils differently."

"I'm not human, and neither is Power. You don't seem to mind us too bad."

"He refuses to work; you two actually work."

Denji looked away for a moment, "Has he been outside working since coming to Public Safety?"

"No clue."

"He probably isn't used to working. I'm sure he'll come around soon, just give him a bit."

"As if I'd listen to a 16-year-old on how to do my job."

Denji looked back to Aki, "Did Himeno listen to you when you were underage?"

"Don't talk about Himeno," Aki's teeth were clenched tightly.

"Did she?"

"I said don't fucking talk about Himeno!" Aki slammed his fists on the table.

For a brief moment, both Power and Denji were dumbstruck. They heard Aki yell at them before; it wasn't an uncommon occurrence. But hearing Aki yelling at them like that was rare, and it stunned them to the point of silence. Denji let out a soft sigh before looking down at his food, and Power likewise followed his steps.

"I..." Aki took a minute to collect his thoughts, "I didn't mean-"

"Mhm, sure," Denji muttered.

Power picked at her vegetables, "Go ahead and apologize like you always do."

Aki stopped himself from yelling at them for their rudeness, but he soon found his brain to be filling with the most awful of thoughts. Aki didn't bother excusing himself from the table; he simply got up and left the table, sulking back to his room to cope with his thoughts and leave Power and Denji to themselves.

Aki lay on his bed and held onto his pillow as he sobbed softly, feeling terrible for taking all his emotions out on Power and Denji. They were supposed to be family, and he just screamed at them for no reason. 

"He brought up Himeno," Aki thought, "I had a reason to yell at him."

"He's just a kid who wasn't able to grow up; he doesn't understand what he's doing, I need to be more gentle with him."

"Maybe he's right; maybe I should give that devil a chance."

"No, he's been nothing but a pain in my ass. He deserves nothing."

Aki was conflicted. Did he follow Denji's advice and give Angel a chance? Or did he ignore his advice and continue treating Angel as a devil and nothing more? Nevertheless, he was consumed by these thoughts and continued thinking about them all night as he hopelessly cried, both for Himeno and for his own mistakes. 

Aki was a failure and he knew it, he just didn't want to admit it.